What Happened to Rachel Riley?

By Claire Swinarski

• ALA Notable Children's Book
• Regional Indie Bestseller
• Audie Award Winner
• Edgar Award Nominee
• Cybils Award Nominee
• YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
• New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
• Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
• Amazon Best Book of the Year
• SLJ Best Book of the Year
• Texas Lone Star Reading List
• Capital Choices Noteworthy Book for Children
• BookPage Best Book of the Year
• 2024 Elizabeth Burr/Sheridan Worzalla Award for the most distinguished work in children's literature

In this engrossing and inventive contemporary middle grade novel that's Where'd You Go, Bernadette with a #MeToo message, an eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly popular girl is now the pariah of her new school. 

Anna Hunt may be the new girl at East Middle School, but she can already tell there’s something off about her eighth-grade class. Rachel Riley, who just last year was one of the most popular girls in school, has become a social outcast. But no one, including Rachel Riley herself, will tell Anna why.

As a die-hard podcast enthusiast, Anna knows there’s always more to a story than meets the eye. So she decides to put her fact-seeking skills to the test and create her own podcast around the question that won’t stop running through her head: What happened to Rachel Riley?

With the entire eighth grade working against her, Anna dives headfirst into the evidence. Clue after clue, the mystery widens, painting an even more complex story than Anna could have anticipated. But there’s one thing she’s certain of: If you’re going to ask a complicated question, you better be prepared for the fallout that may come with the answer. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jan 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9780063213111

Claire Swinarski

Claire Swinarski was born and raised in Wisconsin, where she still lives with her family and writes stories for readers of all ages. What Happens Next was her debut middle grade novel and was followed by The Kate in Between and What Happened to Rachel Riley, which was an ALA Notable Children’s Book, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults title, a Cybils Award nominee, and an Edgar Award nominee. These were followed by Take It from the Top. She thinks wandering around a library can solve 95 percent of life’s problems.

Book preview

1

The Un-Essay

MS. O’DELL

ROOM 912

Assignment: This semester in Social Issues, you will be required to complete a semester-long project instead of a final exam. This project will take the form of an un-essay. That means you can do anything on a social topic of your choosing, as long as it isn’t an essay.

Past examples from former students:

Visiting a prison and interviewing an incarcerated person

Shadowing a law enforcement officer for a day and creating a documentary about your experience

Creating a podcast about your family’s immigration experience

Designing a pamphlet about the lack of feminine hygiene products for girls around the globe

Launching a community garden to make a statement about climate change and urban development

Get creative: You can use sewing, cooking, painting, or any other medium that will help you explore a social issue and translate it for our class.

Remember: Social issues don’t have to be things that are widely covered in the news. In fact, some of the most interesting stories are the ones that aren’t being told. They can be small or large, local or international. Think of something that’s interesting to you—you’ll be working on this project for the entirety of our first semester, so try and make it something you’re passionate about!

Grade: Your un-essay will be worth 85 percent of your final grade. Assignments will be graded on thoroughness, creativity, and presentation.

VOICE RECORDING

SEPTEMBER 8

HI, MS. O’DELL . . . THIS IS ANNA HUNT. OBVIOUSLY. You said you wanted us to share a little bit more about ourselves to get to know us, so . . . here’s that recording you asked for. It’s cool that you didn’t just want us to, like, write a note or whatever. I kind of feel like I’m making a podcast or something.

Anyway, there’s not that much to tell. I’m new to East this year. I’m twelve years old. I know that’s young for eighth grade, but I started kindergarten early because I was kind of smart for a kid. I mean, I’m still a kid, but whatever. When I was little. I used to live in Chicago, but we moved up here to Madison because my mom’s going to teach at the University of Wisconsin Law School this semester. My dad is a lawyer, too, but he just works from our living room and writes contracts for companies. Oh, and I have a sister named Nik, who is a sophomore at East High. She’s, like, a total tech genius. She already designed her own app that can play different sounds, like crickets or waves, when you sleep. Her real name is Nikola, which is kind of a unique name around here, but my mom is from Poland. We speak Polish, too, which is fun, because there were lots of Polish people in Chicago but there aren’t many here, so it’s like we have a secret language. I don’t have a big extended family or anything, but my grandma does still live in Poland, and I talk to her a lot.

Anyway . . . I’m really not that interesting. I like to read, and I have two dogs named Jesse and Kix. I like cooking with my dad. I don’t play sports or anything like that, so . . . I guess that’s kind of all you need to know.

I’ve been trying to think about my Social Issues project, but I know we have a little more time to decide. I’ll try to pick a topic soon.

SEPTEMBER 9

To: LIST: Parents of East Eighth Graders

From: Principal Lila Howe

Subj: Today’s lunchroom incident

Parents of East Middle School Eighth Graders,

It is with great disappointment that I must write to you and address the unfortunate incident that took place during today’s eighth-grade lunch period.

First, let me remind you that East Middle School has a culture of peace. But our school motto, Peace begins with us, was under attack during today’s altercation in the cafeteria.

It’s been widely reported that the first projectile in the food fight was a carton of milk, which some parents have pointed out may have been in protest of, or social commentary on, the use of dairy factory farm products in our school. Not so, I assure you! The original item that was thrown was not a dairy product at all. The students appreciate the fact that Kincaid Farms has been supplying our school with milk for decades! Even after the terrible situation that unfolded surrounding last year’s awards ceremony, our relationship with Kincaid Farms remains loud and proud.

The student who instigated today’s events has been spoken to, and his parents have been notified. Please continue discussing the idea of peace with your East Knight at home.

We at East Middle School know we will rise stronger than ever—together!

Best,

Lila Howe

SEPTEMBER 9

Dear Principal Howe,

This is my note of apology for starting the food fight. I’m sorry. I apologized to Riz already, but just so you know, it was only because he made a joke about me having a crush on Rachel Riley, which I don’t, and that was a really bogus thing to say. I would never have a crush on her. But he doesn’t have to write a letter of apology, which is unfair. It’s important for you to have all of the facts.

Sincerely,

Blake Wyatt

Eighth Grade

SEPTEMBER 10

Dear Principal Howe,

I got your email that said an apology followed by but isn’t an apology. Here is my new apology note.

I am sorry that I threw a hamburger at Riz Kapoor.

Sincerely,

Blake Wyatt

Eighth Grade

VOICE RECORDING

SEPTEMBER 13

HI, MS. O’DELL. SO I KNOW OUR VOICE RECORDINGS of our assignments are due today . . . and I had a really hard time picking what to do. I’m interested in a lot of stuff about the world, but it all just felt so big. People have been trying to solve world hunger and climate change for years and years. Like, our own government can’t even figure out how to solve these issues. How was I going to do a project on one of them?

But then I remembered you said it could be something small, something more . . . local.

And it got me thinking.

At lunch, Principal Howe reads off all of the names of people whose birthday it is. You probably know this because sometimes you’re a lunch supervisor. Anyway, when she reads a name, people cheer. Obviously, the popular kids get the loudest cheers. When Jordan Russell’s name was read last week, I thought the building was going to fall over. She seems pretty popular, and everyone likes her since she’s nice, too. But no matter what, every name that’s called gets at least some cheers, because everyone has some friends—even the nerds cheer for each other. No offense. I’m kind of a nerd myself, if you want me to be honest.

So, what’s funny is that today’s my birthday. Birthdays when you’re a new kid kind of suck. Nobody decorated my locker or anything, because I don’t have any friends yet. And eighth grade is a little old to bring birthday treats or whatever. So I’m just, like, sitting in math class like any other day, even though it’s my thirteenth birthday. And then at lunch, I was sitting by myself, which is just so awkward, and I know I could ask to sit with some other kids, but whatever. I just feel weird. They all have their seats, and what if they said no? Then, what, I’m just standing there?

Sorry. This is a long recording.

Anyway, it’s my birthday, and Principal Howe read my name over the loudspeaker. And people actually clapped, because some people clap for everyone. Bee Becker, who sits next to me in French, turned around and looked at me all surprised, and I think she felt kind of bad because she didn’t say anything in class earlier. But I wasn’t mad, because, duh, how would anyone know? She let out a little cheer. So I had some noise, and people barely know me.

Then Principal Howe read the next name: Rachel Riley.

And nobody did anything. Not a single person clapped for her! It was so, so weird—like, total silence. Nobody was even talking . . . I mean, it was so strange. She didn’t have a single person who would even pity clap for her? Even though there were people who would cheer for me? I should have started, probably—but I was so surprised, all I could do was sit there. It was almost eerie. And before I knew it, the next name was being called.

Rachel Riley is in my algebra class. I know who she is. I looked over to where she was sitting, and she was just, like, eating her apple like nothing had happened. Like nobody had said her name. And I felt really bad for her. Nobody should have to eat an apple alone on their birthday and be embarrassed like that.

Principal Howe moved on, but I just—I don’t know. It got me thinking. If people would cheer for a person they don’t even know, but wouldn’t for Rachel Riley, it wasn’t that she didn’t have friends. It was that she had enemies.

Everyone.

Then something even weirder happened.

I was walking to the bathroom after lunch, and I passed the trophy case. I don’t know why I’ve never stopped to look at it before, but today I did. And sitting inside was a photo of the dance team. You know who was front and center?

Rachel Riley.

I guess they won junior state last year. And everyone’s arms were thrown around her, and they were all laughing. They looked so happy. She didn’t look like a girl who wouldn’t get any cheers on her birthday.

So then, I looked her up on Instagram. And you know what I saw?

Photos. Tons of them. Her and Jordan Russell, her and Kaylee Nakamura, her and everyone. It looked like she had a ton of friends! Until May 20, last spring. At the end of seventh grade. That’s the last photo. And it’s just a selfie of her, smiling at the camera.

So here’s the question I’d like to explore:

What happened to Rachel Riley?

SEPTEMBER 13

To: Alicia O’Dell

From: Maja Hunt

Subj: RE: Anna’s Social Issues assignment

Alicia,

Thanks for reaching out about Anna’s proposed project. I understand your concerns—that you don’t wish for the student in question to feel ostracized—and I appreciate your active involvement in my daughter’s education. But after looking closely at the assignment sheet she was provided, I see the exact phrase: a social topic of your choosing.

Thus, your appeal for her to consider another topic seem to be contrary to the original assignment, unless you are willing to concede that your original assignment contained a false suggestion.

While Anna recognizes, as do I, the importance of sensitivity surrounding this matter, she believes it could speak to a larger trend of bullying, ostracization, and inclusion among the student body. We are willing to pursue Anna’s right to an un-essay of her choosing through whatever legal avenues necessary. Or you could simply allow her to comply with the original assignment as intended.

Peace begins with us, after all.

Sincerely,

Maja Hunt, Attorney-at-Law

Professor

University of Wisconsin–Madison

SEPTEMBER 14

To: Maja Hunt

From: Alicia O’Dell

Subj: RE: Anna’s Social Issues assignment

Maja,

While I appreciate your passion for your daughter’s education, I simply can’t allow a project to be done on another student’s popularity. Anna seems incredibly bright—I’m sure she’ll think of another topic she’s just as interested in.

I’ve cc’d our principal, Lila Howe. You can direct all future legal inquiries to her.

Sincerely,

Alicia O’Dell

East Middle School

I CAN’T FIGURE THIS THING OUT, I MUTTERED, TRYING to plug the cord from my phone to my computer. For some reason, my favorite podcast wasn’t showing its latest episode, so I was trying to download it from my laptop. I just kept getting an error message.

Every Tuesday, I went on a long walk just to listen to the latest episode of Stories of Our Lives with Mimi Miller. Mimi interviewed all kinds of people, and not just famous people, even though the episode where she interviewed Kate Middleton about her charity work was my favorite. Mimi also talked to totally everyday men and women. She spoke with janitors and chefs and teachers and stay-at-home parents about who they were and what mattered to them. People who lived in mansions and people experiencing homelessness. People you walked by every day or sat a table over from at Red Robin. The way Mimi really got to the heart of who a person was, and what they were all about? It made everyone seem . . . real. It made you think about people differently. Like that girl who’s being mean at school, or that guy who’s yelling at the grocery store worker, or the woman who lives under the bridge down by campus with her four dogs. You started to understand that they had a whole story behind them, bigger than this one moment you were looking at.

Maybe Rachel Riley was bigger than East Middle School. In fact, I was sure of it. That was why I had wanted to do a podcast about her for my un-essay. Just like Mimi Miller would.

Do you need help? My older sister, Nik, glanced up from her laptop and pulled down her headphones. Nikola Hunt: sixteen, genius, can’t name any bands from the last ten years but can rattle off her five favorite pieces of software to use for coding. Me: still googles East Middle School email login because I can never remember the URL.

No, I said. Whenever Nik helped me with a tech thing, I ended up feeling like an idiot.

Did you try unplugging it and replugging it in?

I said I don’t need help, I grumbled as I did what she told me to do. With a ba-doop, Apple Podcasts popped up on my computer. She grinned smugly, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

How old are you, five? she responded. What are you doing, anyway?

"Trying to get Mimi Miller to download. Aren’t you supposed to be, like, a younger Mark Zuckerberg? Telling someone to unplug and replug—I could have thought of that."

"Yeah, but you didn’t. And almost anything works better when you unplug it for a second."

Girls, Mom yelled from the kitchen, butts in chairs, please. Dinner. Maja Hunt: intense lawyer lady, crushes bad guys in her sleep, secretly loves any and all Pixar movies. I bounded out of the living room and was hit with the smell of spaghetti sauce. Dad was whistling to himself, ladling sauce on huge plates of pasta. Jamie Hunt: part-time lawyer, full-time Dad/chef/laundry folder. My parents were the kind of parents who thought if we didn’t eat family dinners together we’d wind up criminal masterminds or something.

That was my family, or rodzina, as Babcia would say.

Ooh, fancy. Sauce that’s not from a jar, I said.

Dad flicked me in my temple. You’re welcome.

Nik, can you feed the dogs quick? Mom asked, grabbing a piece of garlic bread and doing the ouch, ouch, too hot dance before dropping it onto her plate. And Anna . . . did you think of a new topic for Social Issues yet?

What project? asked Nik.

"It’s, like . . . It’s called

Reviews for What Happened to Rachel Riley?

[salsabrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Anna's position as new girl gives her an outsider view of her new middle school's social dynamics. Rachel is an outcast that no one talks to so when Anna learns that Rachel used to be popular last year, she starts digging into what happened. As a fan of podcasting, Anna plans to gather information on Rachel to create a sample podcast to support her application to a youth podcasting camp. But no one is willing to talk about what happened. This contains the suspense of a whodunnit crossed with middle school intrigue. Sometimes the kids are eye-raisingly astute and eloquent as in, "There's one's person's needs and another person's wants and a collision of it all."

[lemeritus-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Compelling. Should be available in every middle school or junior high school library.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book had me hooked! Anna is the new girl at school and she stumbles onto a mystery she just has to solve. Why does everyone dislike Rachel Riley? And why won't anyone talk about how this formerly popular girl no longer has friends? Anna is an aspiring podcaster. So in addition to traditional chapters, the book is told in interviews, emails, and research articles.

[acargile-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel is a 2024 Lone Star selection. Students will enjoy reading this novel, as the evidence slowly unfolds.

Anna Hunt begins a new school year at a new school. She isn't your normal student who seeks to fit in. She's comfortable in her own skin and wants to be friends with people who like her; she doesn't change to be accepted. She notices that Rachel Riley always sits alone. Looking at social media and information from the previous year, Anne can see that Rachel was one of the most popular students at the school. Now, no one will say her name or talk to her. There is a contest to attend a podcast summer institute that Anna really wants to attend, so she decides to create a podcast titled "What Happened to Rachel Riley?" With each interview, the reader learns a bit more about Rachel.

The students at East Middle School are friendly. Several of the "popular" girls invite Anna to different activities. No one seems mean. The boys are weird, of course, as it's middle school, but Anna enjoys meeting the girls. She pushes social boundaries, however, by constantly asking about Rachel Riley. They begin to tire of Anna's focus and want her to just get over it and just be friends. Eventually, the truth does come out. Not to give anything away, but there are certain books girls need to read. This novel is one of them. Society teaches girls to put up with silliness, but in reality, girls should fight back for their own agency and rights. The book is a page turner; it's interesting and keeps you wanting to know more. I did get annoyed some with Anna because she seemed pushy and seemed to ignore social cues.

[oldandnewbooksmell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Trigger Warnings: sexual harassment, #MeToo

Anna Hunt is the new girl at East Middle School, but it doesn’t take her long to notice former popular girl, Rachel Riley, is now the social outcast no one talks to, or about. As a lover of podcasts, Anna decides to create her own podcast around the question, “What Happened to Rachel Riley?”. Told through first person narration from Anna, emails, texts, notes, podcast transcripts, letters, and flyers compiled together through Anna’s journal in finding out the truth.

I really enjoyed this book and the conversation it brings up for the middle grade readers. As Anna kind of discovers - harassment is still harassment, even if it’s meant to be “funny” or “a game”. This also gives these girls the courage to speak up and out about anything that’s not right.

I’m a little grippy about the ending though, cause I felt like it was super rushed and I wanted to know if Anna got into her podcast summer camp!.

Overall though, I will be recommending this novel to so many - middle grade, YA, and adult readers alike! It’s an important message, and with all the different types of format that the reader gets information from, it keeps your attention.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Middle School / 8th grade book.
Anna Hunt and her family have moved from Chicago to Madison, WI, so Anna is the new girl in the 8th grade. She notices that no one talks to Rachel Riley, who was a popular girl in the 7th grade. Rachel decides to do a podcast to find out the reason. As she digs into the mystery, she enlists the help of her computer science coding wiz sister, Nik. Together, Nik and Anna discover some underlying issues at the school, including bullying and sexual harassment.
A good book for middle schoolers to read. Anna is a hero!